Meetings & Notes · Updated 2026-08-20

Meetings & Notes in 2026: The Tools I Actually Use (And One I Ditched)

Look, I've tried everything. Notion, Evernote, Obsidian, you name it. But most meetings are still a waste of time, and most notes end up never getting read again. So this year, I cut the noise and kept only the tools that actually make meetings suck less and notes actually useful.

Here's what survived.

Quick Comparison

1. Otter.ai – The Transcription Robot

Otter is basically the gold standard for meeting transcripts. It joins your Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams calls, and writes down everything in real-time. I use it for client calls and internal reviews. The speaker identification is good enough to tell apart 3-4 people, and it catches most details accurately.

What I actually appreciate: I no longer have to ask "Wait, what did we agree on?" after a call. I just search the transcript.

Downside: It's not great with accents or fast speakers. And occasionally it will mishear a number or a name. So I still review the transcript. But compared to taking manual notes? Night and day.

2. Notion – Still the Work Hub

Notion is more than a note-taking app. It's where I store docs, track projects, manage clients, and build content calendars. If you're running a solo creator operation or a small team, Notion handles most of what you need.

What I actually use: I build a simple meeting notes database. Each call gets a page. I link it to the client and the project, and attach the Otter transcript. That way, six months later, I can search and find exactly what we discussed.

Downside: Notion can be a productivity rabbit hole. You can spend hours building databases instead of doing actual work.

3. Zoom AI Companion – Good Enough for Internal Calls

If you're already paying for Zoom, the AI Companion is built-in and free. It summarizes calls, highlights action items, and even drafts follow-up emails. I use it for internal team syncs where the stakes aren't super high.

It's not as detailed as Otter, but it's good enough to catch the main points.

4. Granola – The AI Notes Assistant

Granola is relatively new, but I like its approach. Instead of just transcribing, it combines meeting audio with your own rough notes — you jot down a few bullet points during the call, and Granola turns them into structured, readable notes after.

It feels more active than Otter, and less passive. I use it for meetings where I need to actively listen and decide what to keep, not just record everything.

Downside: It takes a bit of getting used to. The pricing is also on the higher side for what it does.

5. Obsidian – The Quiet Knowledge Base

Obsidian is the opposite of Notion. It's local, fast, and completely offline. No cloud. No subscription. You write in plain markdown files, and your notes are stored on your own computer.

I use Obsidian for personal notes — ideas, writing drafts, research snippets. It's not a team tool. But if you want a place to think and write without distractions, it's one of the best out there.

Downside: There's a learning curve. You need to set up your own sync and backup system if you want cloud functionality. It's not plug-and-play.

The One I Ditched – Evernote

I used Evernote for years. It was the original note-taking app. But it just kept getting slower and more bloated. The search stopped being reliable. Syncing became weird. I finally moved everything out, and I haven't looked back. If you're still using Evernote, I'd recommend exporting your notes and trying something newer.

My Take

Here's what I actually use day-to-day:

• Otter.ai for every external client call.
• Notion for team docs, project management, and content planning.
• Obsidian for personal writing and research notes.
• Zoom AI Companion for internal syncs.
• Granola when I want to take active notes and have AI structure them.

The biggest shift in 2026? People are moving away from "one app does everything" to "right tool for the job." Otter is reliable for transcripts. Notion is still the best workspace. Obsidian is unbeatable for personal knowledge. And Granola is interesting enough to keep using.

If you're just starting out, start with Otter + Notion. That pair alone covers 80% of your meeting and note needs. Add Obsidian later if you need a personal knowledge base.

Hwanie is reader-supported. Some links on this page may be affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you sign up — at no extra cost to you. This does not affect our reviews, which are based on hands-on testing.